How to Shrink Your Waist With Yoga

In order to lose belly fat, you have to lose body fat. The best way to lose body fat is through a combination of healthy eating, cardiovascular exercise and strength training. When you focus on strengthening your core with yoga, not only can you relieve low back pain, increase balance and stability and improve posture, but you can also help to make your abdomen look smaller and more defined as you lose weight.

• Stand with both feet at the top of the mat, hip distance apart. Inhale and lift both arms up and overhead. Exhale and swan-dive your arms down to your mat, folding forward at the hips. Inhale and lift your torso up halfway, lifting your belly up toward the spine away from the thighs and finding a flat back. Rest hands on the shins or let fingertips graze the mat. Exhale and fold again, releasing your belly to your thighs and relaxing your head. Inhale and stand up, lifting both arms back overhead, standing up tall. Exhale and fold forward, hands to feet. Repeat three to six times, moving with your breath.

  

• Stand at the top of your mat, all 10 toes facing front. Step your left foot back six to eight inches and adjust so the left foot is parallel to the back of the mat. Line your right heel up with the center arch of the left foot. Keeping both legs straight, lift your arms up to the sides. Reach the right arm to the top of the mat and release down to the right shin or knee. Lift your left arm straight overhead. Look up toward your lifted hand. Breathe here for five to 10 breaths, focusing on keeping the belly lifted off the thigh and tightening your core. This is Triangle pose. Switch sides.

  

• From Triangle pose, drop your left hand to your right shin or knee and lift your right hand up and overhead, twisting through the torso. Maintain a micro-bend in the right leg to protect the knee. Focus on keeping your belly lifted off the thigh and breathe here for five to 10 breaths. This is Revolved Triangle. Switch sides.
• Come down on the mat to your hands and knees. Position your hands directly under the shoulders, and knees under the hips. Spread your fingers wide on the mat and press down through your knuckles. Curl your toes under and straighten your legs, finding a high pushup position. Root through your hands and press your heels to the back of the mat. Everything is strong and in a straight line from shoulders to heels; pull your belly button up toward the spine. Breathe here for five to 10 breaths. This is Plank pose.

  

• From Plank pose, press through the right hand and roll to the outer edge of the right foot, stacking your left foot on top of the right. Lift your left arm up overhead, keeping shoulders stacked over each other. If you need additional support, you can drop your right knee down to the mat. Take five to 10 breaths here in Side Plank, focusing on keeping the left hip lifted, using your core strength to balance. Switch sides.

  

• Lie down on your belly and rest your forehead on the mat. Extend your legs behind you, pressing down equally, with the tops of the feet flat on the floor. Bring your hands in line with your shoulders and press down through your legs and feet using the strength of your legs to lift your torso and head off the ground. Look up. This is Cobra pose. Breathe here three to five breaths.

  

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet together under the knees. Arms come out to the side to form a “T.” Drop both knees to the right side of the body, and keeping both shoulder blades pressed against the mat, let your gaze travel toward the left. Take five to 10 breaths here and then switch sides, bending both knees to the left side, gazing to the right. Concentrate on lengthening through the spine as you inhale and deepening the twist as you exhale.